Back of knee hurts going down stairs

The most common cause is a condition called runners knee. Osteoarthritis and ITBS are other possible explanations.

Reduce the Forces Temporarily.

Back of knee hurts going down stairs. Symptoms include grinding or clicking in the knee when moving the joint or swelling and pain in the knee cap. There are several reasons why you may be experiencing patellofemoral pain when going down stairs. It may be because of anatomical abnormalities flat feet or muscle weakness and can occur at any age.

Two knee joints can hurt when going down stairsthe tibiofemoral joint and the patellofemoral joint. The tibiofemoral joint is the knee joint you probably think of first. Its where the tibia shin bone meets the femur thigh bone.

The patellofemoral joint is the patella kneecap sitting on top of the femur. In most cases knee pain going down stairs usually indicates a problem with the knee cap patella and how it moves. The kneecap is a small bone shaped like an upside down triangle which sits in the patella groove at the front of the knee and.

Some of the symptoms of chondromalacia patella include. Dull pain behind below and on the sides of the kneecap. Feeling of grinding when going down the stairs running downhill or doing squats or knee bends.

Pain standing up after sitting for a period of time. It is almost always damage to the knee cap or the cartilage on the back of it that causes knee pain when you go down stairs but not up. The most common cause is a condition called runners knee.

This is caused by prolonged periods of repeated stressful activities such as running jumping or even standing and twisting on your knees. Osteoarthritis happens when there is excessive wear and tear on the knee joint so that bone can rub against bone causing knee pain when going down stairs. It is most common among those older than fifty and those who always do activities that stress the knee such as working in cold weather certain physical activities and climbing stairs.

One of the most frequent complaints about knee pain is of aching when climbing up and down stairs. So while taking the stairs is undoubtedly a great exercise for your overall health it does put a lot of stress on the kneesespecially when going down. So although walking up and down stairs can be beneficial as a strengthening exercise if it causes knee pain it may be time.

Believe it or not going down the stairs actually puts more weight or force on your knee cap patella than going up stairs. Studies report it can be as much as x4 times your bodyweight. So if you weigh 10 stone the force on your knee cap patella when going down the stairs can be as much as 40 stone.

For many knee pain and walking down stairs go hand-in-hand. But while this pain is common its definitely not normal says Lara Canham DPT an orthopedic clinical specialist in Colorado. Unless youre recovering from a knee injury you should be able to walk down stairs without pain she says.

I love running hills. However I think going downhill is causing the pain on the outer knee. After a 6 to 8 mile run with hills it starts to tighten and hurt.

I am trying to quit running if I feel much at all. If I keep running it becomes painful to even extend my lower leg out. Then after showering it hurts going up and especially down stairs.

Chondromalacia can cause knee pain to worsen on stairs. In fact this condition may cause knee pain only on stairs. Osteoarthritis and ITBS are other possible explanations.

Fortunately patients can relieve pain by resting the knee strengthening the surrounding muscles and bracing the knee. Hammies are the muscles on the back part of your thigh. They stabilize the knee when you go up and down the steps.

They are also great hand warmers after shoveling the driveway this winter. Give it a try. Your hands will be nice and toasty.

The Glute aka The Rump Muscle Now on to the king knee muscle for stair climbing. Causes of pain in the back of the knee. The back of the knee is composed of various muscles bones ligaments nerves and arteries.

See this image to get a visual representation of the knee and all of its parts. The knee also contains fluid synovial fluid that lubricates and protects the joint. Many different processes can result in damage or injury to.

This is why the knees often hurt when a person is going up or down the stairs. This deeper movement means that the kneecap is forced to slide up and down over the femur more than usual and if your cartilage is beginning to wear out watch out. Here are four potential causes of knee pain that can cause pain when climbing or descending stairs.

Muscle strain Although usually a minor injury that can improve with time strained muscles around the knee can make it difficult and painful to go down the stairs. As a result going down stairs will place more force through your knee. Given that a larger force is more likely to cross the threshold amount required to cause sensitivity you can now see why you are more likely to experience knee pain going down stairs.

What Can I Do About Knee Pain Going Down Stairs. Reduce the Forces Temporarily. But as I mentioned knee cap pain is really common and how you can differntiate is that knee cap pain is often painful when you are climbing stairs getting out of a chair or getting off the floor often it can also be sore running or after sitting for long periods such as driving.

The knee doesnt often swell up but it can. Conditions associated with pain behind the knee. Two common conditions that cause pain behind the knee are.

A popliteal cyst also called Bakers cyst. Posterior cruciate ligament injury. A cyst is a collection of fluid inside a thin layer.

A popliteal cyst is a cyst in the shallow depression at the back of the knee. Most Common Causes Of Knee Pain When Walking Up And Down Stairs. Most often pain in your knee when walking up and down stairs is caused by some issue with the patella or the cartilage under the kneecap.

There is a specific condition thats characterized by this deterioration known as chondromalacia. When the muscles cannot properly stabilize and support the knee during these movements the knee feels weak or wobbly. Weakness is more prevalent while going up or down stairs or descending on a decline.

These movements place increased stress on the knee and require greater stabilization from all the muscles.